Ignition distributor



5, 1941-. J. L. ARTHUR 2,251,387

IGNITICN DISTRIBUTOR Filed May 17, 1939 2 Shets-Sheet 1 ZLQ Z Z v BY Aug. 5, 1941. J. L. ARTHUR 2,251,387

' IGNITION DISTRIBUTOR Filed May 17, 1939 Sheets-Shet 2 in It...

' 9 INVENiOR Patented Aug. 5, 1941 IGNITION DISTRIBUTOR James L. Arthur, Anderson, Ind., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application May 17, 1939, Serial No. 274,190

Claims.

This invention relates to ignition distributor for internal combustion ignition apparatus.

One object of the invention is to eliminate corrosion of metal parts of the distributor by properly ventilating the distributor so that any nitric acid fumes which accumulate will be diffused with fresh air passing into and out of the distributor housing. I accomplish this object by so shaping the rotor block as to provide means for agitating the air within the distributor housing in a peculiar manner. More specifically, I provide the rotor block on opposite sides thereof with vanes so constructed and arranged that, the air on one side of the distributor is being pushed downwardly while at that instant the air on the other side of the distributor rotor is being pushed upwardly. This produces a violent agitation of the air which causes air at one side of the distributor to move out into the surrounding atmosphere while air from the surrounding atmosphere moves in from the other side of the housing.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view of an ignition timer distributor unit having a rotor block embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the rotor block.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Fig. 4 is a side view looking in the direction of the arrow 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to the Fig. 1 showing a modified form of distributor unit.

Fig. '7 is a top plan view of the rotor block shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan View thereof.

Fig. 9 is an end view looking in the direction of the arrow 9 of Fig. 7.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, an ignition timer cup supports the distributor cap 2| housing a distributor rotor block 22, having a socket 23 (see Figs. 3 and 5) received by the similarly shaped upper end portion 24 of the ignition timer cam 25 which drives the rotor block 22. The block 22 carries a segment 26 which sweeps past a circular row of distributor posts 21 with which the spark plug cables are attached. The rotor block 22 carries a leaf spring 28 electrically connected with segment 26 and carrying a button 29 which engages a contact 30 carried by the lower end of an insert 3! with which the high tension lead from the ignition coil is connected.

It will be understood that sparking between the segment 26 and ends of the posts 21 causes the formation of an oxide of nitrogen from the air which, upon immediately mixing with moisture in the air, produces nitric acid which if allowed to accummulate would have a very corrosive effect on the metal parts of the distributor. It is therefore necessary to provide proper ventilation. The cap 21 is provided with side openings 32 for the inlet of fresh air and the outlet of air carrying nitric acid fumes. In order to cause fresh air to pass within the confines of the distributor cap 2| and nitric acid fumes diluted with air to pass out, the air within the distributor cap is agitated violently by an up-and-down motion produced by vanes 33 and 34 which are part of a continuous flange 35 with which the rotor block 22 is provided. Referring to Fig. 4 the vane 34 which is nearest the observer slants downwardly from right toward left. Referring to Fig. 5 the flange 33 which is hidden from the observer also appears to slant downwardly from right toward left. Assi ning the direction of the rotation is counterclockwise as indicated by arrow 36 in Fig. 2, the flange 34 as viewed in Fig. 4 will move from left toward right as indicated by arrow 31. Under these conditions the air on the side of the rotor block nearest the observer will be forced downwardly as indicated by arrow 38 while the air on the opposite side of the rotor block will be forced upwardly as indicated by arrow 39. Thus the air at every instant of rotary movement of the rotor block will be pushed in opposite directions on opposite sides of the rotor. Consequently the air is given a violent agitation with the result that some air is forced out while fresh air is entering another of the holes 32. More specifically, the air at every region around the distributor rotor 22 is being alternately pressed downwardly and then lifted upwardly with the result that there is at one time a compression of air near one of the cap vent holes 32 and at another time a rarefaction of air at one of the vent holes 32. In this way fresh air is caused to enter the distributor. Since the air within the cap 2| is violently agitated, any nitric acid fumes which accumulate are rapidly diffused; and air mixed with these fumes is caused to flow out from the confines of the distributor cap through one of the vent holes.

In the form of rotor 40 shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 the flange i interrupted by notches 4i and 42 providing separate flange portions 43 and 44 which provide two pairs of spaced oblique vanes 45 and 4'5, and 41 and 48. When the rotor rotates in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. '7 or in the direction of the arrow 50 as viewed in Fig. 9, the vanes and 46 move in the direction of the arrow 50 and cause air to be pressed downwardly as indicated by arrows 45a and 46a, while the vanes 41 and 48 on the diametrically opposite side of the rotor push the air upwardly as indicated by arrow 47a and 480.. In this manner the air is violently agitated by alternately depressing and lifting it during each rotation of the rotor. As the case of the rotor 22 of Figs. 1 to 5, the rotor shown in Figs. 6 to 9 will effect such agitation of the air within the confines of the distributor that a diffusion of nitric acid fumes with air will take place and fume laden air will be forced out of the distributor and fresh air will enter through one or both of the vent holes 32.

While the embodiment of the present'invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form,

it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A distributor rotor for use with vented distributors in ignition systems for internal combustion engines comprising a distributor conductor, means for making electrical connection between the conductor and a contact of a distributor cap, and a rotor block for supporting the conductor, said block including a hub having a flange surrounding the same and adapted to rotate in the general plane of the rotor, said flange having straight flat portions located on different planes relative to each other with sloping portions connecting the flat portions the sloping portions slanting in opposite direction with respect to the axi of rotation of the rotor block whereby rotation of the rotor in either direction will cause air to move in opposite directions in different regions within the confines of the cap.

2. A distributor rotor for use with vented distributors in ignition systems for internal combustion engines comprising a distributor conductor, means for making electrical connection between the conductor and a contact of a distributor cap, and a rotor block for supporting the conductor, said rotor block including a hub having a flange surrounding the same, said flange including spaced openings extending from one face of the flange to the other, said alternate openings sloping in opposite directions with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotor block whereby rotation of the rotor in either direction will cause air on the upper side of the flange to be moved to the lower side of the flange by certain of the openings while the other openings will cause air on the lower side of the flange to be moved to the upper side of the flange.

3. A distributor rotor for use with vented distributors in ignition systems for internal combustion engines comprising a distributor conductor, means for making electrical connection between the conductor and a contact of a distributor cap, and a rotor block for supporting the conductor, said rotor block including a hub having a flange surrounding the same and adapted to rotate in the general plane of the rotor, said flange having notches'therethrough located at substantially diametric points of the hub, the faces of the flange forming notches being oblique with respect to the axis of rotation of the rotor and both slanting away from one face of the flange so as to lead from one and the same semicircular area and end in the opposite semi-circular area with respect to a diameter drawn through the axis of rotation and the general point of notch location, whereby rotation of the rotor in either direction will cause air on one side of the flange to be moved to the opposite side of the flange by one of the notches, while the other notch will cause air on the said opposite side of the flange to be moved to the said one side of the flange.

4. A rotor for an ignition distributor comprising a rotor block; a contact element carried by the block and adapted to cooperate successively with stationary contacts of the distributor; and a pair of sloping air-direction surfaces on the block, said sloping surfaces being arranged in opposite directions with respect to the rotation of the block whereby rotation of the rotor block in either direction will cause the sloping surfaces to move air simultaneously in opposite directions on opposite sides of the rotor block.

5. A rotor for an ignition distributor comprising a rotatable insulating body; a contact element carried by the body and adapted to cooperate successively with the stationary contacts of the distributor; a flange about the body, said flange including sloping air directing surfaces, the sloping of the surfaces being in opposite directions with respect to the rotation of the body whereby rotation of the body in either direction will cause air in every region to be alternately moved downwardly and then moved upwardly.

6. In a venting system for an ignition distributor for an internal combustion engine the combination comprising, a distributor cap having a pair of vents; a distributor conductor; means for making electrical connection between the conductor and a contact of the distributor cap; a rotor for supporting the conductor; and means associated with the rotor adapted to compress alternately air in every region within the distributor cap downwardly and upwardly whereby rotation of the rotor in either direction will cause alternately a compression of air within the distributor near one vent to force the air out through said vent and a rarefaction of air at the other vent to draw fresh air into the distributor cap.

7. A distributor rotor for use with vented distributors in ignition systems for internal combustion engines comprising a distributing conductor, means for making electrical connection between the conductor and a contact of the distributor cap, and a rotor block supporting said conductor and providing air agitating vanes which move air in opposite directions simultaneously in different regions within the confines of the cap.

8. A distributor rotor for use with vented distributors in ignition systems for internal combustion engines comprising a distributing conductor, means for making electrical connection between the conductor and a contact of the distributor cap, and a rotor block supporting said conductor and having a flange for providing air agitating vanes, said flange being shaped so as to operate to move air in opposite directions on different sides of the block.

9. A distributor rotor for use with vented distributors in ignition systems for internal combustion engines comprising a distributing conductor, means for making electrical connection between the conductor and a contact of the dis- Nasturtium bustion engines comprising a distributing con- 10 ductor, means for making electrical connection between the conductor and a contact of the distributor cap, and a rotor block supporting said conductor, said block having a two-part interrupted flange providing two pairs of spaced vanes on diametrically opposite sides of the block, said pairs of vanes sloping in opposite directions with respect to the axis of rotation of the block.

JAMES L. ARTHUR. 

